Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

233. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will ensure a substantial increase in the grant allocation for non-national roads to Cavan County Council in 2016, given the deteriorating condition of many roads there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44632/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

​The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads in Cavan is the statutory responsibility of Cavan County Council, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on those roads are funded from the Council's own resources supplemented by State road grants.  The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is also a matter for the Council. Ireland has just under 100,000 kilometres of road in its network and the maintenance and improvement of national, regional and local roads places a substantial financial burden on local authorities and on the Exchequer.  Because of the national financial position, there have been very large reductions in Exchequer funding available for roads over the past number of years. Funding in 2008 was €2.3 billion while funding this year is around €760 million for the national, regional and local road network.  The reality is that funding will continue to be tight for the next number of years.

Local authorities are aware that it is a matter for each Council to determine its priorities and to allocate funding accordingly.  Given funding constraints, my objective has to be to allocate funding to local authorities on as equitable basis as possible.  The main grant categories are, therefore, based on road lengths in each local authority's area of responsibility. 

The RLR allocations for next year have yet to be decided but I expect to announce the details early next year. It is important to reiterate that State grants are intended to supplement local authorities' own resources.  In this context, I am emphasising to Councils that the commitment of local authorities to contribute significantly from their own resources, towards the cost of improving and maintaining the regional and local roads network is essential.